Ammy's Senile Ramblings

Disclaimer : All characters in this story are real. Any resemblance to any character living or dead is purely intentional. Based on my true life story. :) I had just finished my final year exams and was awaiting my last semester results. Meanwhile, I had got an opportunity to attend an interview in one of the product-based IT firm. As I nervously walked into the corporate office for my first interview, little did I know that fate had an unexpected surprise in store for me. It was a crucial moment, as the company required candidates to excel not only in the interview but also in an online IQ test. With my heart pounding, I took my seat and prepared for the challenge that lay ahead. The Strangers' Gaze: Surrounded by cubicles, I could feel the weight of every one's eyes on me, as if they were piercing right through my anxious exterior. Among the sea of strangers, there was one person who stood a cubicle away, casting occasional glances in my direction. His eyes sparkled with curi...

The nightmare of every mother's life is here, the dreaded 'exam time'. With the syllabus getting covered in the last minute and the teachers in a jiffy to do last-minute revisions, mommies everywhere are in a flurry of worry and anxiety. I can relate, being a mother of a "tween." The battle is ongoing and is not getting over anytime soon. This is a time when not just the students feel the pressure, but their mothers too feel the same pressure and stress. I am not making this gender-biased or favoring mothers; I am simply stating that fathers handle it with a more practical approach and are less concerned than their better halves. They, anyway, claim that their opposite gender always overthinks and are worried for nothing. Coming back to our warriors, read mothers, they must have gone through the same ordeal during their student days, and so empathize with their children. Having said that, the will to see their children succeed is what keeps them going. To top it a...

Be it a movie star or a sports star or some other celebrity rising to fame, the media and everyone else celebrate them and acknowledge them. They become the headlines of every leading newspaper, and every radio station talks about them. The news on T.V also flash information about these heroes. We get to know so much information about them, even censored and unwarranted information about their personal lives. But have we ever wondered about so many other unsung heroes, who are struggling in their day to day life just to provide their family with two square meals a day. One such hero is a man in his late 70’s, who I have been observing for close to 2 years now. He has a mobile cycle puncture shop at the footpath. All that he owns is an old rusted trunk with tools and other essential things for his business. He toils hard day in and day out. Be it sun or rain, he is there sharp at 10.30 AM in the morning. I have never once seen him take leave, at least whenever I take that route I ...

Why Peppy? Read on to find out…. There was a Carnival held in our college to raise funds for the neighbouring Old Age home. A group of friends including me, decided to participate in the Carnival and put up a stall, so that the proceeds can be donated for the cause. The question was what stall can we put up? Numerous suggestions were received by all, and many were rejected with stares, shocked and surprised expressions. Finally, we zeroed in on the ‘FOOD’ stall. Wow! Yummy! Peppy food was the first response we were getting from all. We made arrangements to put up a stall and divided the responsibilities among us. Finally the D-day arrived. The stall was put up effortlessly and we were selling our food items (procured from the caterer) to the students who visited the carnival. Everything was going on well. Our cash box was brimming with currency notes and coins. We had more customers coming to our stall and the food vessel was getting empty. There was this one particular...

With fast food chains operating at every nook and corner of the city, it has indeed become very difficult for us to resist our temptations and follow a healthy diet and we end up eating these calorie dense foods. A nutritious diet becomes very important in such a scenario. A balanced healthy diet not only results in a healthy body but also results in a healthy mind. Eating well will help to prevent variety of diseases and ailments and helps to maintain a healthy body weight. This will promote a feeling of well-being and provides a lot of positive energy. A nutritional diet requires eating of different wholesome foods to manage the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate and other nutrients consumed so that the nutritional requirements of the body are met. Taking a balanced meal improves the immune system and makes it strong, which in turn helps in fighting a lot of diseases. The nutritional needs of the body can be fulfilled by including a good supply of whole grains, vegetables...

#ComeCloser to Radiant Skin In this present age of cosmetology and all the other harmful chemical products for your skin, there are only quite a few products that actually do not cause any harm to your skin. Nevertheless, I have always wondered about how people of the earlier generation used to maintain their skin.  They did not have any of the hi-fi products we use. All they had were some natural products at home, which would come to their rescue when they would face any skin problems. Yet, their skin was so smooth and radiant. HOW?? This was the question I always used to ask my paternal grandma as she had a clear and healthy skin. Though she was in her early 80’s, her skin did not have much wrinkles and it had a healthy glow. She would blush if anybody complimented her on her beauty. Her cheeks would turn pink. When asked, how she managed to maintain such a beautiful skin without going to the beauty parlour and having the regular facials done, she would just say I used ...

Dear Baaji, On this day as you celebrate your birthday, I felt that it’s a perfect time to tell you how much I love you. (You know am bad at expressing in person!!). I just wanted to thank you for all the love and support you have been ushering throughout the years on your two lil sisters. Thank you for being so patient with me and to show me by example how to be a better person. I want to tell you I’ll love and admire you all my life as you are a very special person to me. I want to say through this note, how much your presence has meant in my life, as I have always looked up to you for everything. You were and are still like a second mom to me, and now to my sonnie. You have been a perfect mom to him as well, filling my absence with your warmth of your love and care. I owe you my life. Over the years, my love for you has kept on increasing with each passing day. And no wonder, my son is so much in love with you. You are truly an amazing aunt cum mom to him too. Words are no...